按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
And Mr。 Wiley would laugh insolently。
〃You think I done it； do you； Dutchiehuh！〃
He would saunter past； up the stairs； and into the Bumpus dining…room； often
before the family had finished their evening meal。 Lise alone made him
welcome； albeit demurely； but Mr。 Wiley； not having sensibilities； was proof
against Hannah's coldness and Janet's hostility。 With unerring instinct he
singled out Edward as his victim。
〃How's Mr。 Bumpus this evening？〃 he would genially inquire。
Edward invariably assured Mr。 Wiley that he was well； invariably took a drink
of coffee to emphasize the fact； as though the act of lifting his cup had in it
some magic to ward off the contempt of his wife and elder daughter。
〃Well； I've got it pretty straight that the Arundel's going to run nights；
starting next week；〃 Lise's suitor would continue。
And to save his soul Edward could not refrain from answering； 〃You don't say
so！〃 He feigned interest in the information that the Hampton Ball Team； owing
to an unsatisfactory season； was to change managers next year。 Mr。 Wiley
possessed the gift of gathering recondite bits of news； he had confidence in
his topics and in his manner of dealing with them； and Edward； pretending to be
entertained； went so far in his politeness as to ask Mr。 Wiley if he had had
supper。
〃I don't care if I sample one of Mis' Bumpus's doughnuts；〃 Mr。 Wiley would
reply politely； reaching out a large hand that gave evidence； in spite of
Sapolio； of an intimacy with grease cups and splash pans。 〃I guess there's
nobody in this burg can make doughnuts to beat yours； Miss Bumpus。〃
If she had only known which doughnut he would take； Hannah sometimes thought
she might have been capable of putting arsenic in it。 Her icy silence did not
detract from the delights of his gestation。
Occasionally； somewhat to Edward's alarm； Hannah demanded： 〃Where are you
taking Lise this evening？〃
Mr。 Wiley's wisdom led him to be vague。
Oh； just for a little spin up the boulevard。 Maybe we'll pick up Ella Schuler
and one or two other young ladies。〃
Hannah and Janet knew very well he had no intention of doing this； and Hannah
did not attempt to conceal her incredulity。 As a matter of fact； Lise
sometimes did insist on a 〃party。〃
〃I want you should bring her back by ten o'clock。 That's late enough for a
girl who works to be out。 It's late enough for any girl。〃
〃Sure； Mis' Bumpus；〃 Wiley would respond easily。
Hannah chafed because she had no power to enforce this； because Mr。 Wiley and
Lise understood she had no power。 Lise went to put on her hat； if she skimped
her toilet in the morning； she made up for it in the evening when she came home
from the store； and was often late for supper。 In the meantime； while Lise was
in the bedroom adding these last touches； Edward would contemptibly continue
the conversation； fingering the Evening Banner as it lay in his lap； while Mr。
Wiley helped himself boldly to another doughnut； takingas Janet observed
elaborate precautions to spill none of the crumbs on a brown suit； supposed to
be the last creation in male attire。 Behind a plate glass window in Faber
Street； belonging to a firm of 〃custom〃 tailors whose stores had invaded every
important city in the country； and who made clothes for 〃college〃 men； only the
week before Mr。 Wiley had seen this same suit artistically folded； combined
with a coloured shirt； brown socks； and tie and 〃torture〃 collarlures for the
discriminating。 Owing to certain expenses connected with Lise； he had been
unable to acquire the shirt and the tie； but he had bought the suit in the hope
and belief that she would find him irresistible therein。 It pleased him； too；
to be taken for a 〃college〃 man； and on beholding in the mirror his broadened
shoulders and diminished waist he was quite convinced his money had not been
spent in vain； that strange young ladiesto whom； despite his infatuation for
the younger Miss Bumpus； he was not wholly indifferentwould mistake him for
an undergraduate of Harvard；an imposition concerning which he had no
scruples。 But Lise； though shaken； had not capitulated。。。。。
When she returned to the dining…room； arrayed in her own finery； demure；
triumphant； and had carried off Mr。 Whey there would ensue an interval of
silence broken only by the clattering together of the dishes Hannah snatched
up。
〃I guess he's the kind of son…in…law would suit you；〃 she threw over her
shoulder once to Edward。
〃Why？〃 he inquired； letting down his newspaper nervously。
〃Well； you seem to favour him； to make things as pleasant for him as you can。〃
Edward would grow warm with a sense of injustice； the inference being that he
was to blame for Mr。 Wiley； if he had been a different kind of father another
sort of suitor would be courting Lise。
〃I have to be civil；〃 he protested。 He pronounced that； word 〃civil〃
exquisitely； giving equal value to both syllables。
〃Civil！〃 Hannah scoffed； as she left the room； and to Janet； who had followed
her into the kitchen； she added： 〃That's the trouble with your father； he's
always be'n a little too civil。 Edward Bumpus is just as simple as a child；
he's afraid of offending folks' feelings 。。。。 Think of being polite to that
Whey！〃 In those two words Hannah announced eloquently her utter condemnation
of the demonstrator of the Wizard。 It was characteristic of her； however； when
she went back for another load of dishes and perceived that Edward was only
pretending to read his Banner； to attempt to ease her husband's feelings。 She
thought it queer because she was still fond of Edward Bumpus； after all he had
〃brought on her。〃
〃It's Lise；〃 she said； as though speaking to Janet； 〃she attracts 'em。
Sometimes I just can't get used to it that she's my daughter。 I don't know who
she takes after。 She's not like any of my kin； nor any of the Bumpuses。〃
〃What can you do？〃 asked Edward。 〃You can't order him out of the house。 It's
better for him to come here。 And you can't stop Lise from going with him
she's earning her own money。。。。〃
They had talked over the predicament before； and always came to the same
impasse。 In the privacy of the kitchen Hannah paused suddenly in her energetic
rubbing of a plate and with supreme courage uttered a question。
〃Janet； do you calculate he means anything wrong？〃
〃I don't know what he means；〃 Janet replied； unwilling to give Mr。 Wiley credit
for anything； 〃but I know this； that Lise is too smart to let him take
advantage of her。〃
Hannah ruminated。 Cleverness as the modern substitute for feminine virtue did
not appeal to her； but she let it pass。 She was in no mood to quarrel with any
quality that would ward off disgrace。
〃I don't know what to make of Liseshe don't appear to have any
principles。。。。〃
If the Wiley affair lasted longer than those preceding it； this was because
former suitors had not commanded automobiles。 When Mr。 Wiley lost his
automobile he lost his luckif it may be called such。 One April evening；
after a stroll with Eda； Janet reached home about nine o'clock to find Lise
already in their room； to remark upon the absence of Mr。 Wiley's picture from
the frame。
〃I'm through with him；〃 Lise declared briefly； tugging at her hair。
〃Through with him？〃 Janet repeated。
Lise paused in her labours and looked at her sister steadily。 〃I handed him
the mitdo you get me？〃
〃But why？〃
〃Why？ I was sick of himain't that enough？ And then he got mixed up with a
Glendale trolley and smashed his radiator； and the Wizard people sacked him。 I
always told him he was too fly。 It's lucky for him I wasn't in the car。〃
〃It's lucky for you；〃 said Janet。 Presently she inquired curiously： 〃Aren't
you sorry？〃
〃Nix。〃 Lise shook her head； which was now bowed； her face hidden by hair。
〃Didn't I tell you I was sick of him？ But he sure was some spender；〃 she
added； as though in justice bound to give him his due。
Janet was shocked by the ruthlessness of it； for Lise appeared relieved； almost
gay。 She handed Janet a box containing five peppermint creamsall that
remained of Mr。 Wiley's last gift。
One morning in the late spring Janet crossed the Warren Street bridge； the
upper of the two spider…like structures to be seen from her office window；
spanning the river beside the great Hampton dam。 The day； dedicated to the
memory of heroes fallen in the Civil War； the thirtieth of May； was a legal
holiday。 Gradually Janet had acquired a dread of holidays as opportunities
never realized； as intervals that should have been filled with unmitigated
joys； and yet were invariably wasted； usually in walks with Eda Rawle。 To…day；
feeling an irresistible longing for freedom； for beauty； for adventure； for
quest and discovery of she knew not what； she avoided Eda； and after gazing
awhile at the sunlight dancing in the white mist below the falls； she walked
on； southward； until she had left behind her the last straggling houses of the
city and found herself on a wide； tarvia road that led； ultimately； to Boston。
So read the sign。
Great maples； heavy with leaves； stood out against the soft blue of the sky；
and the sunlight poured over everything； bathi